A FINE GOLD-DAMASCENED (KOFTGARI) STEEL WARRIOR SET WITH A BODY ARMOUR PLATE AND ARMGUARDS AN EYE FOR DETAIL: PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE ESTATE IN NORTHERN LONDON Possibly Lahore, Mughal India, late 18th - early 19th century Comprising a rectangular forged steel breastplate, the central field with a raised arabesque medallion with stylised foliage spraying further to half medallions on the four sides and each corner, the borders enhanced with gold koftgari decorative bands featuring scrolling lotus flowers, lush serrated leaves, and dense vegetal meanderings, towards the centre a narrow fretwork band with cross in-filled squares, with six buckle fittings in the form of cusped palmettes, 29cm x 22.5cm; and a pair of matching steel armguards with silver mounts around the edges, separated in two hinged section, decorated with analogous raised arabesque medallions on the front and back, as well as dense koftgari floral vines around the edges, each with four buckle fittings in the form of cusped palmettes, each 32.5cm x 10.5cm. Provenance: Bonhams New Bond Street, London, 13 October 2005, lot 456. The variety and vibrancy of the koftgari floral meanderings on the borders of this armour set show clear analogies with another steel cuirass side plate (chahar aina) part of the V&A Museum Collection (acc. no. 3184(IS)) and attributed to 19th-century Gwalior. That said, this forged steel plate does not present any raised decoration, unlike the present example. This is instead visible in the form of a vegetal grid on a pair of Mughal dastana (armguards), in the same Museum collection (acc. no. 794&A-1869), attributed to 19th-century Lahore. This attribution seems well fitting for our set too, given the city's renowned reputation for high-quality metal productions, both in the Mughal period and throughout the 19th century, featuring a typical Persian influence in their decorative repertoire.